News and notes from the Office of the PresidentSeptember 2, 2010

President's NoteRobust and frequent communication is essential as we work together, keeping our community moving forward in a unified fashion and helping us to focus on the issues that affect Baylor's future. It is also important that we take the opportunity to celebrate the many successes that we enjoy together. Therefore, I am pleased to have Inside Baylor as a venue through which to share information with our faculty and staff and to shine a light on those accomplishments over which we rejoice as a community.

A successful start to the semesterMy heartfelt and humble thanks to the more than 2,600 volunteers who assisted in the move in of what will be Baylor's largest and most diverse freshman class. I had the distinct pleasure of meeting many of our incoming freshmen and their parents during Move-In days and in the days following during Welcome Week activities. In the short time I spent helping move students into their residence halls, I was also impressed with the joyful manner in which our campus greeted and embraced these new Baylor Bears. We anticipate a first-year class of 3,200 while overall enrollment will remain steady at more than 14,000 students, when the official twelfth class day report is released.

The Provost's Office has coordinated the welcome and orientation of more than 60 new faculty members this semester. I have enjoyed visiting with many of these new members of our academic community and been inspired to hear them talk about being drawn to Baylor because of the University's focus on academic excellence within a caring, Christian community. The excellence, dedication and energy of our faculty continues to be a remarkable source of pride for this great University.

University earns accoladesThe University, our faculty, staff and students, continue to receive accolades from across the country.

Parade Magazine, in its August 22 "College A-List" issue, gave its highest marks to Baylor University for the strong academic preparation and hands-on learning experienced in our health sciences programs.

Baylor is one of only 45 public and private colleges and universities in the United States, Canada and Great Britain -- and the only Texas Big 12 institution -- to earn a "Best Buy" designation by the 2011 edition of The Fiske Guide to Colleges.

Baylor continues to be recognized by U.S. News & World Report. In the 2010 U.S. News review of American universities, Baylor ranks third in the Big 12 and No. 79 in the nation. Baylor's Engineering and Entrepreneurship programs also ranked among the best in the U.S.News report.

Let's Rise Up and fill the stadiumI sincerely thank those of you who actively participated in our efforts this summer to preserve Baylor's place in the Big 12. Many of our regents, faculty, staff and alumni took action to support Baylor and helped make our case for a strong Big 12.

Now, we need the Baylor family to fill Floyd Casey Stadium and to make the trip to as many away games as possible. Athletic Director Ian McCaw tells me sales of season tickets are ahead of last year's rate, but it is important that we support the program with our presence in the stands at unprecedented rates.

I encourage you to show your support for Baylor and join our "Rise Up" campaign this fall. Regent Bill Robbins, a longtime friend to Baylor Athletics, is doing his part to fill the Floyd Casey Stadium by his recent purchase of nearly 200 season football tickets. Many of these tickets will be used by the Baylor Athletic Marketing team to afford local youngsters the opportunity to attend a game they may not have been able to otherwise. These children will enjoy the full Baylor game-day experience, from Touchdown Alley to the new March of the Bears, the Golden Wave Marching Band, and of course a Bears' victory. We are indebted to Bill and Mary Jo for their continued loyal support of Baylor Athletics.

If you have not done so, please consider purchasing tickets and enjoying these exciting games with your family.

Upcoming football games:
September 4, 6:00 pm at home vs. Sam Houston State
September 11, 6:00 pm at home vs. Buffalo (Parents Weekend)
September 18, 3:30 pm in Fort Worth vs. TCU

Remaining Home Football Games (times TBA):
October 2, vs. Kansas
October 23, Homecoming, vs. Kansas State
November 13, vs. Texas A&M
November 20, vs. Oklahoma